A method for evacuating a building is disclosed, for example, in DE 10 2013 201 873 A1. According to this method, the place of a mobile device and, therewith, the location of a person bearing the mobile device within a building are determined with the aid of an indoor positioning system (WLAN nodes, hotspots, access points). The mobile device reads the building plan from identifiers (QR codes or bar codes) installed in the building. Available escape paths are determined in accordance with the determined position. An escape route, e.g., the fastest path from the current location to the nearest passable emergency exit, is determined for the person from the determined location and the available escape paths. The calculated escape route is represented graphically on the mobile device. For wheelchair users, the method provides guidance to a safe place in the building—in order to wait there for a rescue team—through evacuation information.
Although DE 10 2013 201 873 A1 does disclose a solution whereby an escape route is communicated graphically to a person on the mobile device, this solution does not take into consideration changing conditions during an evacuation situation. There is a need for an improved technology for evacuating an area, with which people can be evacuated safely and efficiently from the area, even if the conditions change during an evacuation, for example, due to panicking or a rapidly spreading fire.